Different Types of French Bulldog

We will need to clarify what we mean by the different types of French Bulldog. There is only one French Bulldog breed that is recognized by international canine federations such as the American Kennel Club or FCI. They share similarities to other types of bulldogs, but they only constitute a single breed in themselves. The different types are variations within this single breed.

Personality can differ according to breed, but other environmental and experience factors will have a greater influence in terms of their temperament. The variations of French Bulldog types are mainly limited to physical appearance. This aesthetic diversity is seen most evidently in their coat colors and patterns. There is also a general difference between certain types of body conformations, but these are not always officially recognized.

With these determining factors in mind, we can look at the different types of French Bulldog in more detail. They are classified according to body and coat type.

The following classification of French Bulldog types is controversial. Not all Frenchie guardians will recognize these differences and no official classification has yet been made. However, some group the French Bulldog into the following bloodlines:

• French Bulldog Mastiff type: highlights the physical build and typical features of types of Mastiff dogs, such as the Boxer or other bulldogs, but with a smaller size.
• French Bulldog mountain type: it is characterized by having longer legs and, consequently, a greater height at the withers than the bulldogMastiff-type French bulldog.

Similarly, it is important not to confuse these two types of French Bulldog with other dog breeds that may appear similar at first glance. These may include the Boston Terrier or even the Pug. These are dogs with different origins and physical and behavioral characteristics. We also need to ensure we discount French Bulldog mixes.

Learn more about crossbred dogs with our article on the different types of mixed-breed dogs.

Classifying French Bulldogs according to coat color, type and pattern, we can see there are many more types of Frenchie than according to build. The bloodline of a particular French Bulldog will determine the coat color, but this does not mean they will be the same as their parents. This is because the genetic information can be dominant or recessive, leading to French Bulldog puppies with a wide variety of coat types.

Different breed organizations can vary over the coat color and types which are considered standard in a French Bulldog. There is little consensus as to what are considered ‘acceptable’ or ‘desirable’. For example, the International Canine Federation (FCI) and the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom only mention the color fawn or fawn/brindle. In turn, the AKC accepts white, cream and beige, as well as any combination between them. And, on the other hand, the World Animal Foundation (WAF) speaks of 15 types of French bulldog depending on the color of their coat.

Compiling all this information, we discover the 10 most popular types of French bulldog:

The fawn color can be with or without white spots or a black mask. These color variations are some of the most common types of French Bulldog coat color. They are accepted by all international canine federations that recognize the French bulldog, including the FCI. In French bulldogs called ‘fawn and white’, it is desirable that the white spots be distributed throughout the dog's body. Whether they have white spots, the nose should be black in all fawn-colored French Bulldogs.

According to the FCI, this type of French bulldog is characterized by the fawn color combined with moderate dark transverse stripes. This creates the brindle pattern on their coat which appear as if they are tiger markings. The fawn background color should never be covered by an excessive predominance of the darker color.

Some brindle French Bulldogs display a black mask in the facial region. They may also have moderate white spots on their coat.

Also known as piebald in some countries, the pied pattern on the coat of dogs is characterized by the predominance of white with spots of a darker color appearing. According to the FCI and the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom, this pattern can occur in both pied French Bulldogs with brindle and fawn-colored coats.

This color of the French bulldog is not accepted by the two federations mentioned above, but it is accepted by the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is a mostly pale coat whose tone can vary from a whitish ivory to an almost sandy cream color. Its origin is associated with the manifestation of a recessive gene for the typical fawn color. Despite the lighter colored coat pattern, the nose, lips, paw pads and edges of the eyes are black.

The AKC determines that the characteristic color of this type of French Bulldog can range from light beige to reddish beige (or even beige red). White spots and black mask may be present in these individuals, regardless of the intensity of their coat color.

All-white French Bulldog individuals are considered acceptable by the FCI and the AKC, but their breeding is discouraged due to the risk of deafness in dogs. It should be remembered that not all white dogs are deaf or will develop deafness in the future. Regardless, there is a high prevalence of deafness in these dogs that have a completely or mostly white coat due to a lack of pigmentation, the minority of French Bulldog colors.

White French bulldogs should have black nose, lips and paw pads. The eyes should also be dark in color, usually brown or slightly orange. They are never green or blue. Sometimes white French Bulldogs are known as platinum white French Bulldogs. These are so-called designer dogs and are often very expensive to purchase, usually being thousands of dollars in price.

As we have seen, the AKC allows combinations between two or more solid colors in the French Bulldog's coat. Theoretically, their breed standard should accept bicolor and tricolor individuals whose coat shows white, cream and/or beige (from light to reddish). However, the same federation clarifies that combinations that include solid black, tan, liver and blue or gray are not considered acceptable.

Not all standardization organizations have the same restrictions. The Kennel Club of Argentina recognizes a wider range of solid colors in the French Bulldog's coat, including black (solid or rust), brown and gray. Consequently, combinations between two or three of these colors with or without white spots may also be accepted.

The solid black color in the French bulldog's coat is the result of a rare manifestation of a recessive gene. There are very few completely black individuals (i.e. pure black Frenchies) in this breed and they are not recognized by the FCI, the AKC and the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom. In fact, these federations consider that solid black (i.e. without traces of brindle) should be considered a serious or disqualifying fault.

As with other types of French Bulldog, there are other institutions that do include solid black among the accepted French Bulldog colors. This includes the aforementioned Argentine Kennel Club.

The pattern known as is associated with the manifestation of the dominant allele of the M gene. This acts on eumelanin, causing a dilution of the original pigments. For example, solid black could turn merle blue, while brown would turn merle red. For this reason, we consider merle to be a pattern caused by as a consequence of a mutation or genetic alteration, not a dog coat color in itself.

In some dog breeds, such as the Border Collie, this pattern is accepted. Crosses between merle individuals are discouraged, mainly due to the negative effects that these genetic alterations can bring to the health of the puppies and their future generations. This can be seen in double dapple breeding of the Dachshund.

In the case of the French Bulldog, the merle pattern is directly excluded from the breed standard of the main canine federations. Unfortunately, there are institutions and breeders that defend the ‘naturalization’ of this pattern and disregard the side effects.

Learn more about the accepted coat colors of the Border Collie with our related guide

Like the merle pattern, the gray or blue color in the French Bulldog is considered a serious or disqualifying fault according to the breed standards of the main canine federations. This rejection is also due to the fact that the bluish-gray hue manifests itself as a result of a genetic mutation that dilutes the black pigment in the coat of these types of French dogs.

Despite the warnings of these federations regarding the risks of perpetuating this type of genetic alterations, the so-called blue French Bulldog is highly valued today. Among other negative repercussions, this practice encourages selective breeding and genetic manipulations for aesthetic and commercial purposes, putting the well-being of animals behind pure look. When adopting a French bulldog from a shelter, the important thing is not aesthetics, but our ability to meet the dog's needs.

Although it is not part of the types based on coat color, we find another type of French bulldog that has been developed recently, the Fluffy French Bulldog. It is a variety that stands out for having a longer, softer and fluffier coat due to a genetic mutation.

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